The wild Florida Cracker horse above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

These two primary stops along Interstate Highway 75 are within the West Section of the Great Florida Birding Trail in the Arredondo Cluster, and Eagle and Osprey Clusters. The activity seen was at a time the Birding Trail is far from its best from a seasonal perspective. If it was not that, it was very close from my perspective.

The Mississippi Kite above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Common Buckeye above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Mississippi Kite above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Checkered White butterfly above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Checkered White butterfly above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Mississippi Kite above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Mississippi Kite above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Mississippi Kite above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

With bud Tom Obrock accompanying me on the trip, I think I can speak for the both of us that we had a very fun and rewarding time. I have to again give Tom my thanks for his incredible patience as I would occasionally set up for a photograph with hopes of something compelling. The Mississippi Kites were a thrill to observe at Paynes Prairie.

The Zebra Longwing butterfly above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Downy Woodpecker above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Tufted Titmouse above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Carolina Wren above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Carolina Wren above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Zebra Longwing butterfly above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The spider above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The immature Red-tailed Hawk above was photographed near Powerline Road in July 2013.

The immature Red-tailed Hawk above was photographed near Powerline Road in July 2013.

The immature Red-tailed Hawk above was photographed near Powerline Road in July 2013.

The smaller birds were active on our way out of Paynes Prairie very late in the morning after an arrival near dawn. Onward to Powerline Road we found Swallow-tailed Kites abundant with it remarkable to observe a juvenile kite being fed a frog by one of the parents. Tom was very vocal in warning me that I might be dive bombed by one of the adult kites at one point.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Eastern Meadowlark above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Purple Martin above was photographed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park La Chua Trail in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Purple Martin above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The American Kestrel above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Red-headed Woodpecker above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

A trip to these venues at this time of year can be uncomfortable with humid conditions, but well worth it with the memories to be had (no photos necessary). Tom and I continued on and made a stop at Fort De Soto Park as we made the return south. A Brown Booby was the target species in windy conditions near the Gulf Pier.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The immature Swallow-tailed Kite with adult above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The immature Swallow-tailed Kite with adult above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

Some images taken at Fort De Soto will be presented in the next article.

The immature Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.

The immature Swallow-tailed Kite above was photographed at Powerline Road in July 2013.